Starting device for synchronizers



Oct. 9 1923. 1,470,551

I H. BOCKISCH STARTING DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZERS Filed April 21, 1920 I 3 Sheets-Sheet l WW W Oct. '9 1923. 1,470,551

H. BOCKISCH STARTING DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZERS Filed April 21, 1920 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 flecausezl it MN, m t

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Oct. 9 1923.

H. BOCKISCH STARTING DEVICE FOR SYNOHRONIZERS Filed April 21, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,470,551 PATENT OFFICE.

HEINRICH BOCKIBC E, DECEASED, LATE OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK; BY GEORGE W. GITTINS, ADMINISTRATOR, OF NEW YORK, N, Y., ASSIGNOR TO WELTE-MIGNON' CORPORATION, 01' NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STARTING DEVICE FOR SYNCHBONIZERS.

Application filed April 21, 1920. Serial No. 375,579.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that HEINRICH BOCKISCH, deceased, late a citizen of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, and formerly residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, United States of America, invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Synchronizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic musical instruments and particularly to that type of apparatus for maintaining two musical instruments in synchronism musically.

The object of this invention is the provi-' sion of means co-ordinating the starting of two instruments for example an automatic musical instrument and a. phonograph so that both instruments will start at the same time, thus enabling the synchronizer to function properly at the start of the musical selection. I

It consists broadly in the provision of a',

single starting means for the two instruiwments so constructed that the two instruments will be placed in full operation at the same time.

My invention is well adapted for use with, and has been illustrated in connection with parts of, the synchronizer shown and described in the patent to H. Bockisch, 1,279,640, September 24, 1918. It is however of broader application than for use with the particular synchronizer of the said patent and may be used with other synchronizers makin necessary only such changes as might made within the skill of a mechanic in the art.

1 'Referring to the drawings: Fi re 1 is a dia ammatlc drawing of the e ements of my invention showing the electrical connections to the synchronizer such as .is shown in the patent to H. Bockisch, 1,279,640, September 24, 1918.

F igure 2 is a fragmental perspective view of the honograph table showing the starting and stopping lever and the electrical connections thereto.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the block car Figure 5 shows the lever carrying contact gear 14.

rying the contact for the starting connecwhen in its different positions relative to the block for starting (left), running (middle) and stopping (right). I p Figure 6 is a perspective view of the winding and rewinding gear mechanisms of the automatic musical instrument.

Like reference characters refer to similar parts in the several views.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, 10 designates the tracker box of an automatic musical instrument and 11 the shaft connected with the take-up roll. 12 designates the shaft which carries the music spool. A small gear 12'is mounted on the shaft 12, and meshes with the rewind idler 13 designates the winding gear. 15 designates-a small gean which is mount-- ed on the shaft 16 which latter is connected to the motor. The shaft 16 is mounted on a lever 17 pivoted at the point 18. The shaft 16 is provided with suitable universal joints to enablethe lever 17 to swing Without disturbing the connections. The lever 17 is capable of swinging so as to engage either the take-up gear 13 or the rewind idler 14. v

I will now describe the mechanism used to I start the driving mechanism for the automatic musical instrument. When the magnet 18 is energized, it lifts its armature 19 which carries a valve 20 for controlling the admission of air to the duct 21. Under normal conditions with the duct 21 closed, the chambers 22 and 23, which are separated by the diaphragm 24, are under tension. The chamber23is connected to an air pump which maintains a tension in the chamber 23. The chambers 23 and 24 are connected by a bleed 25. During the time the duct 21 is closed by the valve 20 the bleed 25 maintains tension below the diaphragm so that the pressure in the two chambers is equalized. When'hoWever the valve 20 is raised, air at atmospheric pressure enters the duct 21, destroys the partial vacuum below the diaphragm 24 raising the same. This causes the valve stem 26 to raise the valve 27, cutting off the atmospheric port 28 and opening the exhaust port 29 and thus connecting the chamber 23 with the bellows 30.

This collapses the bellows 30 forcin down 05 I the rod 31 pressing on the lever 17 t rough the nut .32. This tilting of the lever 17 places the gear 15 which is being yrevolved by the motor, in mesh with the gear 13 to wind the sheet from the music roll on the shaft 12.

The phonograph table 32 is started by the starting handle 33 which carries a pad 34 having a contact with the rim 35 of the table 32. WVhen the starting handle 33 is moved to the left as shown in Figure 2, it releases the pad 34 from the rim 35 in the usual manner and the phonograph table starts rotating.

Beneath the table 32 of the phonograph is an arcuate control contact member 36 which is in the circuit of the synchronizer and acts as a circuit closing member in connection with other parts of the synchronizer to control the relative speed of the phonograph record and music sheet.

Adjacent the phonograph table and not revoluble therewith are the two yielding contact elements 41 and 42 which correspond respectively to the contacts 11 and 12 of the aforesaid patent. In this invention the wire from the contact 41, instead of going straight to the battery as in the case of the circuit in the patent, leads first to a contact member 43 on the block 44. Connected to the starting handle 33 and in position to engage the contact member 43 is a circuit closing member 45 which is connected by its mounting to the battery. Mounted also on the block 44 is a contact member 46 in position also to be engaged by the circuit closing member 45 and having an insulating member arranged therebeneath and being designated 55.

The contact element 42 leads to the terminal 102 by the wire 101 of the synchronizer as in the case of the patent.

Power is derived for the operation of the synchronizer and starting device from a battery N, its positive side being connected to the terminal 113 by the wire 112 and its negative terminal being connected to the terminal 110 by the wire 111. In order to make the operation of this device clear without showing and describing the whole synchronizer, I have indicated the synchronizer on Figure 1 and illustrated and designated the lugs necessary to connect this invention to the synchromzer shown in the hereinbefore mentioned patent.

On the side of the tracker box 10 and adjacent the lever 17 is a spring held lever 47 having a projection 48 in position to en age a notch 48* in the end of the lever 17 he spring 49 normally holds the projection 48 in registry with the notch 48. However, when the rod 31 through the nut 32 forces the rear lever 17 downward, the same is held in this position by the projection 48 until released by mechanism to be later described.

The sheet 50 is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 passing over the tracker bar 51. At the edge of the sheet are control perforasuction port 29.

tions 52 which correspond to the control member 36 of the phonograph. When the two instruments are in perfect synchronism one perforation 52 passes Over the tracker duct 53 during the time that the arcuate control member is in contact with the contact members 41 and 42.

The sheet and tracker mechanism are provided with cooperating mechanism whereby when the sheet has been fully played, the gear 15 will be put in mesh with the gear 14 and the roll rewound after which the gear 15 is returned to the position shown'in Figure 1. This mechanism is, however, no part of this invention and is merely indicated at 54.

I will now describe the operation of my invention as applied to a synchronizer for two automatic musical instruments one of which is a phonograph.

The phonograph record is placed on the phonograph table having its starting mark at the indicated plate (not shown) on the table and the needle in its proper place ready to play. The phonograph table is turned until the brushes are about to leave the arcuate contact member on the table. The note sheet or perforated record is placed on the spool supports, and the sheet attached to and wound by hand onto the take up roll until the starting point is opposite the tracker ducts. The mechanism is now ready to start. The starting lever is turned in the usual manner. As soon as the ad 34 is released from engagement with t e table rim 35, the table starts in the usual manner.

The movement of the handle 33 moves the contact making member 45 s as to cause it to contact with and ride upon the inclined contact member 46. See starting position of Fig. 5. As soon as the members 45 and 46 contact with each other an electric circuit is set up as follows: From the battery by the wire X to the contact making member 45, the contact member 46, the wire X to the electro-magnet 18, from the electromagnet 18 by the wire X to the terminal 110 the wire 111 to the negative side of the battery.

When the electro-magnet 18 is energized the bellows 30 is exhausted as hereinbefore explained, causing'the gear 15 to be placed in mesh with the take-up .gear 13. Since the motor which revolves 15 had previously been set in operation, the sheet 50 starts movement over the tracker 51.

Continued movement of the handle causes the contact making member 45 to pass beyond the contact 46 and spring down onto the contact 43. As the circuit is broken, the magnet 18 is deenergized, the valve 20 closes, the air from 22 is exhausted via the bleed 25. This causes the valve 27 to fall opening the atmospheric ort 28 and closin the he admission of air by 28 to, the duct 30', and thence to the pneumatic 30 permits the spring 30" to expand the bellows 30. The lever 17 still maintains its position holding the fgear 15 in mesh with the gear 13 because 0 the pro ection 48 on the spring held lever 47.

As soon as the spring contact making member 45 contacts with the contact member 43 an electric circuit is set up as follows: From the positive side of the battery by the wire X to the contact makm member 45, to the contact member 43 by t e wire X to the contact element 41, the arcuate contact control member 36 (during half of each revolution of the table), the contact element 42 by the wire 101 to the terminal 102 which is connected to the synchronizer. It returns through the synchronizer to the terminal 110 and thence by the wire 111 to the negative side of the battery.

Thephono raph is stopped 1n the usual manner by t e operation of the starting handle 33. When, however, the member 45 is moved away fromthe contact 43 1t engages the insulating member 5 5 which thereby prevents a premature starting again of the winding apparatus. This is illustrated in the right portion f Fig. 5. The automatic musical instrument may be stopped by any suitable means such as a device, part of which is deslgnated generally by 54, which causes the music to be rerolled and the lever 17 put to vertical position ready for the next selection. a

While I have described my invention in connection with a synchronizer such' as that disclosed in Patent No. 1,279,640, I desire to have it understood that it is not limited to such a device.

It is also to be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the splrit of my inventlon and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A means for synchronically starting the operation of two automatic instruments h avin a synchronizer, said means comprising a fiand controlled starting device, a connection between the hand controlled starting device and one of the instruments to start the same upon movement of the hand starting device and electric connections between the starting device and the other instrument to start the same upon the same movement of the startin device.

2. Ameans or synchronically startin the operation of two automatic instruments aving a synchronizer, said means comprising electrical connections between the starting handle of the phonograph and the starting mechanism of the automatic instrument to operate the starting mechanisms of the automatic instrument when the starting handle is moved to starting position.

3. A means for synchronically starting the operation of two automatic instruments having a synchronizer, said means comprising a starting handle, connections between the starting handle and the instruments to start the two upon initial movement of the starting handle, and connections between the handle and the synchronizer and means for completin the connections by further movement of tie starting handle.

4. Ame-ans for synchronically startin the operation of two automatic instruments aving a synchronizer, said means comprising a starting handle, connections between the starting handle and the instruments to start the two upon initial movement of the starting handle, electric connections between the handle and the synchronizer and means for completing the connections by further movement of the starting handle.

5. A means for synchronically starting the operation of two automatic instruments having a synchronizer, said means comprising a starting handle having means for starting the phono raph, an electric contact member adjacent the startin handle a contact making'member attache to the handle in position to engage the contact member when the handle is moved, electric connections between the handle and the starting mechanism of the automatic instrument to operate the latter from the former, and connections between the handle and the synchronizer and means for preventing the connections to the starting mechanism and the synchronizer being operative at the same time.

6. A means for synchronically starting the operation of two automatic instruments having a synchronizer, said means comprising connect1ons to the phonograph and the automatic instrument, an impulse causing device on the phonograph and in said connections, a starting handle having a connection with the phonograph to hold the table in operation in one position and permit it to operate in another position, said handle also havin connections with the starting mechanism 0 the automatic instrument and means attached to the handle to connect or disconnect the impulse causing device with the 116 synchronizer.

A means for synchronically startin the operation of two automatic instruments av ing a synchronizer, said means comprising a startin handle having means for start- 120 ing the p onograph connections between the starting handle and the driving means for the automatic instrument, said connections comprising electro neumatic means controlled directly by t e handle to start the 126 automatic instrument when the handle is moved.

8. A means for synchronically starting the operation of two automatic instruments having a synchronizer, said means comprising 1:0

a starting handle having means for starting the phonograph, connections between the starting handle and the driving means for the automatic instrument said connections comprising an electro magnet under direct control of the handle, a-valve controlled by the electro magnet, a bellows controlled by the valve and means connecting the bellows with the driving mechanism to start the latter when the handle is moved.

9. A means for synchronically startin the operation of two automatic instruments aving a synchronizer, said means comprising a hand controlled starting device, connections between the starting device and the starting mechanisms of the respective instruments, switch means controlled by the starting device for operating the starting mechanisms upon an initial movement of the starting device and for completing the connections of the synchronizer upon further movement of the startin device.

10. A means for synchronically starting the operation of two automatic instruments having a synchronizer, said means comprismg a hand controlled startin device, connections between the starting evice and the starting mechanisms of the res ctive instruments, switch means control ed by the starting device for operating the startin mechanisms 'upon an initial movement 0 the starting device and for disconnecting the starting mechanisms and completing the connections of the synchronizer upon further movement of the starting device.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

GEO. W. GITTINS, Administrator of the Estate of Heinrich Bockisch, Imxmter, Deceased. 

